Preparing Compassionate Nurses: Infusing School Mission and Values in Undergraduate Education

ABSTRACT

In preparation for a curriculum revision, a cross-sectional, descriptive mixed-method research study sought to describe senior-level students' perspectives of Mercy and Jesuit faith-based tradition values integration in a pre-licensure BSN program. Integration of values was examined in both clinical settings and didactic classes. Students strongly articulated the importance of the school's values and mission to their future role as professional nurses. However, although value integration is occurring, greater attention to mission and values is needed in the clinical area.

Hope for Ostomates: A Carbon and Zeolite Impregnated Polyester Fabric Inhibits Urine Odor in Cancer Patients: A Randomized Experimental Study

OBJECTIVE

Many individuals with bladder cancer have undergone a surgical urostomy and often complain of being self-conscious of the unpleasant smell of their own urine. The focus of this study was to test the efficacy of a pouch cover made of a carbon and zeolite containing polyester material to inhibit the smell of urine by comparing two trained dogs' response time in detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in urine, with and without the fabric covering the samples.

METHODS

This study used a randomized, blinded experimental design to evaluate the efficacy of a fabric to interfere with two highly trained dogs' ability to detect specific VOCs present in the urine of prostate cancer patient. Ninety urine samples were analyzed in this study.

RESULTS

Prior to the experiment, both dogs accurately detected VOCs in the uncovered test urine samples of men with prostate cancer with a sensitivity and specificity of nearly 100%. Both dogs recognized the "uncovered" urine samples of men with prostate cancer within two seconds. When the test sample was covered with the study fabric, the test urine samples were detected within 30-40 seconds and in some instances the dogs were not able to identify the covered samples, whatsoever.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study demonstrate that the carbon and zeolite containing polyester fabric did significantly interfere with the ability of the dogs to detect VOCs in urine of men with prostate cancer. The fabric may show promise as a pouch cover in controlling offensive urine odor which many ostomates experience.

Student Nurses' Perceptions of Mercy: A Qualitative Study

Mercy is a valued nursing attribute. It often identifies faith-based educational institutions, clinics, and hospitals and has been a quality valued and taught by the Catholic Sisters of Mercy through nursing's history. This qualitative study explored the meaning of mercy as expressed by undergraduate nursing students attending a faith-based nursing school. This article presents the findings of a question posed to students: What does mercy mean to me? Nursing practice and education implications are also presented.